Hydraulic valve



Sept. 1, 1953 J. A. HERBST HYDRAULIC VALVE Filed March 20, 1951 INVENTOR;]22/222 A. flerbsi has Patented Sept. 1, 1953 HYDRAULIC VALVE John A.Herbst, Pines Lake, N. 3., assi'g'nor to Bogue Electric Manufacturing(30., Paterson;

N. 5., a corporation Application March 20, 1951, sel-ia1 No. 216,637. 11Claims. (01. 137-623) This invention relates to a hydraulic valve of thetype adapted to direct the flow of pressure fluid to a fluid pressureresponsive mechanism.

In hydraulic mechanisms of the type including a reciprocable piston,valves have been used to direct the now of pressure fluid in order toselectively move the piston in opposite directions. An object of thisinvention is to provide an improved valve of relatively simpleconstruction which, in addition to controlling the direction of movementof the piston, is further adapted to be operated in a manner to allowthepiston to be non-responsive to the pressure fluid, thereby allowing thepiston to be actuated by auxiliary means; and further, to lock thepiston in a given position under conditions where the pump operates at anominal pressure which is a small fraction of the working pressure ofthe pressure fluid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve oi the characterdescribed which is effective to control the operation of a hydraulicmechanism to provide four different operating conditions, such valvecomprising two reciprocable valve means and valve actuating means formoving the valve means to positions providiour different combinationsthereof, each combination of positions corresponding to one of theworking conditions.

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve of thecharacter described which includes a pair of valve means operable tomove to selected positions whereby pressure fiuid at working pressuresmay be directed to actuate a hydraulic mechanism, the valve means beingmoved by means of pressure fluid at a pilot pressure or pressures lessthan the pilot pressure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a valve of thecharacter described, bypass valve means for allowing pressure fluid atworking pressure to be moved from one side of the piston to the otherside thereof in response to external pressures in excess of the workingpressure which may be applied to the piston and improved valve meansarranged to provide pressure fiuid at working and pilot pressures.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an improvedhydraulic valve of simple but rugged construction, which includes aminimum number of parts, is easily controlled by electromagnetic meansand is efficient to a high degree under working conditions.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

Accordingly, the invention consists in the features ofconstruction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts whichwill be exemplifled in the embodiment hereinafter described and of whichthe scopeof invention will be indicated in the claims following.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows schematically a hydraulic, system includinga control valve embodying the invena tion;

Fig. 2 is: aiverticalfsectional view, diagrammatic in part, of saidvalve;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show diagrammatically the positions of moving parts or"the valve for different operating conditions.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, i8designates a hydraulic mechanism of the type comprising a cylinder itclosed at the opposite endsthereof, with a piston 12 reciprocabletherein. Piston rods 13 and i311 extend from opposite sides, of thepiston, projecting through the cylinder end walls, ior'connection tomembers not shown, which are to be actuated by the mechanism. Pressurefluid from a source indicated at It is adapted to be selectivelyadmitted to opposite ends of the cylinder It by way of lines t5, It, inorder to determine the direction of movement of the piston H2.

The flow of pressure fluid raised to a working pressure by means of apump P, is controlled by a hydraulic valve i1, embodying the invention.The valve I? has the lines l5, It connected on one side thereof, isconnected on the other side thereof to pump P by a line l8 and to thesump of fluid sourceM by a line 19.

shown in Fig. 2, the valve ll comprises a body it formed with a pair ofvertically extending, parallel bores 2i, 22. The bore 21 is formed witha plurality of spaced, annular grooves 23, 24%, 25 and 26 while bore 22is formed with a plurality of spaced annular grooves 2?, 2t, 25!, andiii. The bores are interconnected by means of a pair of passages 32, 33which extend respectively from grooves 24, 25 to grooves 28, 29,respectively and a pair of diagonal grooves 3t, 35 which extendrespectively from grooves 23, 2G to grooves 38, 2'5, respectively.

The valve body it is formed with a hollow boss on one side thereof whichis provided with a pair of outlet ports 36, 3lwhich communicate withgrooves 23, 26, respectively and with a hollow boss on the other sidethereof which is provided with a pressure port 3%; and a relief port 39which communicate with grooves 38 and 28, respectively. Lines [5 and itare connected to 3 outlet ports 36, 37 respectively and lines l8, I9 areconnected to ports 38, 39, respectively.

Means is provided for effecting interconnection of the ports in selectedcombinations thereof. Such means comprises valve means 46, 4|reciprocably mounted in bores 2|, 22, respectively. The valve means 46,4| are of the spool type. Valve means 46 includes oppositely disposedheads 42, 43 or" difierent pressure receiving areas, which arerespectively located in cylinder portions 44, 45 at the opposite ends ofthe bore. Valve means 46 is formed intermediate the heads thereof with apair of reduced portions 46, 47 located on either side of an enlargedportion 48. With valve means 46 in the position shown in Fig. 2, theenlarged portion 48 thereof is located in a manner to render grooves 24,25 noncommunicating while the pairs of grooves 23, 24; 25, 26, arerespectively communicating.

Valve means 4| includes oppositely disposed heads 42a, 43a of difierentpressure receiving areas, which are respectively located in cylinderportions 44a, 4511. at the opposite ends of bore 22. Valve means 4| isformed intermediate the heads thereof with a pair of reduced sections46a, 410: located on either side of an enlarged portion 48a. With valvemeans 4| in the position shown in Fig. 2, portion 46a is located so thatgroove 29 is in non-communicating relation with adjacent grooves 28, 36while the pairs of grooves 21, 28; 30, 3| are in respectivelycommunicating relation.

Fluid pressure means is provided for selectively moving valve means 45,4| to predetermined positions, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Tothis end there is provided valve means 49 adjacent the pressure port 36.Such valve means includes a seat 56 and a spring pressed ball valve onthe seat. The ball side of the seat is connected to groove 30 by apassage 52, the port 38 communicating with the other side of the seat. Apassage 53 interconnects cylinder portions 44, 44a and continuesvertically through a side portion of valve body 20 to the upper endthereof where the same registers with a passage 53a formed in a pilotvalve housing 54 secured to the upper end of valve body 26. A passage 55connects passage 53 with port 38.

Pilot valve housing 54 is formed with a pair of vertically extendingbores 56, 51 which communicate at their lower ends with cylinderportions 45, 45a, respectively. Passage 530. communicates with bores 56,57 at the lower ends thereof. A passage 58 extends upwardly in the sideof valve body 26 from relief port 39 to the upper end of the body wherethe same registers with a passage 58a formed in pilot valve housing 54.Passage 58a communicates with bores 56, 51 at the upper ends thereof.Intermediate portions of bores 56, 57 are respectively connected tocylinder portions 45, 45a by passages 59, 56a formed in valve housing54. The lower ends of cylinder portions 45, 45a. are interconnected by aT- shaped passage 60 formed in valve body 26, the upper end of saidpassage registering with a passage 60a formed in valve housing 54 andcommunicating with passage 58a.

Pilot valve stems 6|, 62 are slidably mounted in bores 56, 51,respectively, each stem including a reduced portion 63 intermediate theends thereof. The stems 6|, 62 are connected at their upper ends toplungers 64, 65, respectively of solenoids 66, 61 respectively, saidsolenoids being suitably mounted on the pilot valve housing 54. Thevalve stems BI, 62 are biased to the position shown in Fig. 2, thesolenoids being deenergized, by means of springs 68 located between therear of plungers 64, 65 and closures on the solenoid casings. With thevalve stems in such position, passages 59, 59a are in communicatingrelation with the passage 53a and in non-communicating relation withpassage 58a.

In operating the hydraulic system, pump P may be operated to provide anominal pilot pressure of about 10 to 25 p. s. i., such pressure beingadjustable through a screw 69 which regulates the spring bias on ballvalve 5|. Such pilot pressure is applied to the valve heads 42, 43, 42a,43:]. by way of passages 55, 53 and 53a, valve stems 6|, 62 being intheir lowermost position. While the same unit pressure is applied to theheads at opposite ends of each of the valve means 40, 4|, the greaterpressure responsive areas at the upper end of the valve means willmaintain the valve means in the position shown in Fig. 2.

It i apparent that with the valve means 46, 4| in the position shown inFig. 2, both sides of the piston i2 in cylinder II are ported to thesump side of fluid source M by way of passages 32, 35 and the pressureside is also ported to the sump by way of passages 34, 32. Accordingly,with pump P operating to provide a nominal pilot pressure, piston I2 isfreely reciprocable in cylinder H and may be actuated by auxiliary meansother than pressure fluid from source 4, such means, not shown, beingconnected to the piston rods i3, l3a.

In order to effect movement of the piston 2 to either the right or left,or to lock the piston in a given position, solenoids 66, 61 areselectively energized by suitable means not shown.

To look the piston |2 in a given position, both solenoids 66, 6'! areenergized, thereby lifting the piiot valve stems 6|, 62 to theiruppermost position in bores 56, 5'! to connect passages 59, 59a. withpassage 58a. Accordingly, cylinder portions 5a will be ported to thesump of fiuid source M5, by way of passages 58a, 58 and relief port 39.At the same time the cylinder portions 44, 44a will be connected to thepressure port 38 by way of passages 53, 55. With pilot pressure appliedto the valve heads 42, 42a and the valve heads 43, 43a subject toatmospheric pressure only, the valve means 49, 4| will rise in theirrespective bores to assume positions indicated in Fig. 3.

With the valve means 40, 4| in the positions indicated in Fig. 3, theoutlet ports 36, 31 are disconnected from the pressure port 38 andrelief port 39, and the piston |2 in cylinder II will be locked inpostition. At the same time, the pressure port 38 will be incommunicating relation with relief port 39 by way of passages 32, 33.Accordingly, the pump P need operate only to supply pressure fluid atpilot pressure, yet the piston i2 is locked in position without the needfor operation of the pump at a working pressure.

Assuming that it is desired to move the piston E2 to the right asindicated in dotted lines in 1, then solenoid 66 is energized, whilesolenoid 6? is deenergized. Accordingly, pilot valve stem 6! will belifted to its uppermost position while pilot valve stem 62 is in itslowermost position. Cylinder portion 45 will be ported to the sump whilecylinder portion 45a is subject to pilot pressure. With difierentialpressures applied to the heads of valve means 45, said valve means willrise to its uppermost position, while valve means 4|, with both headsthereof subject to pilot pressure, will stay in its lowermost position,as indicated in Fig. 4.

With the valve means 4!), 4! in the positions indicated in Fig. i, pumpP is operated to raise the pressure or iluid from source [4 to a workingpressure, said fluid passing by way of line !8, port 38, through valvemeans is, to grooves it, ti, passage t l to groove 23 and thence tooutlet port til, line it to enter cylinder Ii on the left side thereof,looking at Fig. 1 and moving piston 2 to the right. At the same timedisplaced ressure fluid in cylinder ii will pass by way of line it,outlet port 31, groove 2%, passage grooves ii, 28, relief port '39 andline is to the sump of fluid source Hi.

, To move the piston E2 to the left, as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 1, solenoid winding ill is energized while solenoid winding so isdeenergized. In case, pilot valve stem 52 will be lifted to ventcylinder portion 35a to the sump of fluid s urce i l by way of passagesEta, 58a, and relief port while pilot valve stem 6! assumes itslowermost position. Accordingly, with differential pressures applied tothe heads of valve roe-ans ii, the same will move to its upperinostposition, while with the same pilot pressure applied to the heads ofvalve means it, the same will remain in its lowermost position, asindicated in Fig. 5. 7

Under conditions, pressure fluid from port will pass by way of passage52, grooves i passage 33, grooves 25, it to outlet port 3? and thence byline ill to the right side of cylinder l i moving piston E2 to the left.At the same time pressure displaced by the piston, passes hy way of linit to outlet port it and thence through grooves 23, 2t, passage 32,groove 28, relief port so and thence to the sump of fluid source by wayof line 59.

A needle valve ill extending into passage the pilot press .re line, maybe adjusted to regulate the flow of pressure fluid into the pilotpassages, thereby controlling the speed of stroking of valve means M. Bysuch means, too rapid operation of the valve means and consequenthydraulic hammer is avoided. Relief passages iii}, the provide means forremoving any pressure fluid which may collect in the cylinder portionsit, its beneath the valve heads it, ide, such fluid passing to thepassages 58, 53a and thence to the sump.

In the case of certain devices which may be actuated by the mechanism IEas for example, a ships rudder, possible counter pressures in exexcessof the working pressure of the mechanism, may be transmitted to thepiston i2 through piston rode it, lite, and thereby injure associatedmechanism. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 2, there is provided a bypassvalve l2. Such valve includes a valve seat it, one side of whichconirnunicates with outlet port 31' while the other side thereofcommunicates with outlet port 36. A slidaole valve element has a head itengaging seat it, a stem l extending from said head and a second head iton the opposite end of stem iii. The head it is located about outletport 3'5 and the valve element is normally biased to a closed positionby a spring ll for working pressures, as determined by regulating screw18. The effective pressure responsive area of head M is equal to theeifective pressure responsive area of the annular portion of head 76 onthe inner side thereof.

In the event that external, counter pressures are transmitted to thepiston I2 by way of piston rods i3, ltd, and such pressures exceed theworking pressure of mechanism l0, then the pressure fluid in cylinder Hwhich has no egress to the sump of the fluid source I l, with valvemeans to, ll in the position indicated, Will exert pressure againstvalve heads M, iii in accordance with the direction of said counterpressures. If such pressures are transmitted by way of piston rod it,then pressure will be exerted against head i, causing the valve elementto move away from seat l3, and allowing pressureiiuid to move by way ofline it to the other side of-piston iii.

If the counter pressures are transmitted by way of piston rod its, thenpressure will be ex erted against head l", again causing the valveelement to move away from seat '53 and allowing pressure fluid to passby way of line it to the other side of piston i2 7 I It will be apparentthat valve 3'! is adapted to cause right or left movement oi the pistonit in hydraulic mechanism iii, as well as looking the same in apredetermined position or leaving the same free to be actuated byauixiliary means other than pressure fluid from source it. The operatingconditions are determined by the solenoid operated pilot valves wherebypilot pressures in a non-reversing arrangement, is used to actuate thevalve means.

It is understood that the valve stems 5E, 32 may be operated by anysuitable mechanical or hydraulic means in lieu of the operatingsolenoids ill.

It will thus be seen that there is, provided a device and combinationsthereof, in which the several objects of the invention are achieved andwhich is adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above describedinvention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment setforth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shownin the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent:

1. A hydraulic valve for directing the flow of pressure fluid'at workingpressure comprising a valve body formed with a pair'of outlet ports, a

res ure port and a relief port, a pair of coinmunicating bores, saidoutlet ports. communicating with one bore, said pressure and reliefports communicating with the other bore, valve means movable within eachbore from one position to another position for effecting selectiveintercon ection of said ports, each of said valve means including headsat the opposite ends thereof of differential area, said bores includingcylinders for receiving each of said'heads, con nections between of saidcylinders and said pressure port, connections between each of thecylinders containing the valve head or; greater area a said relief portand pilot valve for selectively regulating the connections between eachof said last mentioned cylinders and said pressure and relief ports.

2. A hydraulic valve comprising a body including a pair of outlet ports,a pressure port and a relief port, said body including a boreinterconnecting said outlet ports and another bore interdifferent area,each bore including a cylinder at one end thereof for receiving thevalveheads of greater area and 'a'cylin'der 'atthe' other'end.

thereof for receiving the valve heads of lesser,

area, each of said valve means being operative to move from one positionto another position to interconnect said ports in selected combinationsthereof, said body including a passage connecting said last mentionedcylinders with said pressure port and a pair of passages respectivelyconnecting said pressure port and said relief port with said firstmentioned set of cylinders, pilot valve means for selectivelycontrolling the communication of each of said first mentioned cylindersand said pair of passages, and means for selectively actuating saidpilot valve means.

3. A hydraulic valve comprising a body formed with a pair of parallelbores, a pair of outlet ports communicating with one bore, a relief andpressure port communicating with the other bore, a plurality of passagesinterconnecting said bores, each of said bores including cylinderportions at the opposite ends thereof, valve means slidably mounted ineach bore and including means for effecting interconnection of saidports in selected combinations thereof upon movement of said valve meansto selected positions thereof, each of said valve means includingoppositely disposed heads of different area located in the respectivecylinder portions, passages connecting the cylinder portions at theopposite ends of each bore with said pressure port, a passage connectingthe cylinder portions containing the valve heads of greater area withsaid relief port, pilot valve means between each of said last mentionedcylinder portions and the passages extending therefrom andelectromagnetic means for selectively actuating each of said pilot valvemeans whereby to selectively connect each of said last mentionedcylinder portions with said relief and pressure ports.

4. A hydraulic valve comprising a body formed with a pair of adjacentbores, one of said bores being formed with a first, second, third andfourth annular grooves adjacent each other, the other of said boresbeing formed with a first, second, third, fourth and fifth annulargrooves adjacent each other, said body being formed with a pair ofoutlet ports communicating respectively with the first and fourthannular grooves of said first mentioned bore, a pressure portcommunicating with the fourth groove of said second mentioned bore, arelief port communicating with the second groove of said secondmentioned bore, a passage connecting the first groove of the firstmentioned bore with the fifth groove of the second mentioned bore, apassage connecting the fourth groove of the first mentioned bore withthe first groove of the second mentioned bore, a passage connecting thesecond groove of the first mentioned bore with the second groove of thesecond mentioned bore, a passage connecting the third groove of thefirst mentioned bore with the third groove of the second mentioned bore,valve means slidably mounted in each bore for selectively connectingsaid ports through said passages, each valve means including oppositelydisposed heads of different area, said bores including oppositelydisposed cylinder portions for receiving said valve heads, a pair ofpassages respectively connecting each of the cylinder portionscontaining valve heads of one area with said pressure port and saidrelief port, a passage connecting each of the cylinder portionscontaining valve heads of the other area with said pressure port, pilotvalve means operable to selectively connect one of said pair of passageswith one of said ports, and means for actuating said pilot valve means.

5. A hydraulic valve comprising a body including a pair of communicatingbores, one of said bores having a pair of outlet ports, the other ofsaid bores having a pressure port and a relief port, valve meansreciprocably mounted in each bore for movement to positions causing saidports to be interconnected in selected combinations thereof, each ofsaid valve means including oppositely disposed heads of different area,said bores having cylinders to receive said heads, a passage in saidbody connecting each of the cylinders containing the heads of smallerdiameter with said pressure port, a pair of passages in said bodyrespectively connecting the other cylinders with said pressure andrelief ports, pilot valve means between each of said last mentionedcylinders and said pair of passages for selectively connecting said lastmentioned cylinders to said pressure and relief ports, and normallyclosed pressure responsive valve means between said pressure port andthe bore communicating therewith.

6. A valve as in claim 5, and further including by pass valve meansinterconnecting said outlet ports.

7. A hydraulic valve for controlling the flow of pressure fiuidincluding a first outlet port, a second outlet port, a pressure port, arelief port, and a pair of reciprocable valve means movable from oneposition to another position, said valve being operative with each ofsaid valve means in said one position to connect said outlet ports andsaid pressure port to said relief port, said valve being furtheroperative with each of said valve means in said other position todisconnect said outlet ports from said pressure and relief ports, tointerconnect said outlet ports and to interconnect said pressure andrelief ports, said valve being further operative with one of said valvemeans in said one position and the other valve means in the otherposition to connect said first outlet port with said pressure port andto connect said second outlet port with said relief port, said valvebeing further operative with said one valve means in said other positionand said other valve means in said one position to connect said firstoutlet port with said relief port and to connect said second outlet portwith said pressure port.

8. A valve as in claim '7, and further including means operative forindependently moving each of said valve means to the selected positionsthereof.

9. A hydraulic valve for directing the flow of pressure fluid comprisinga body formed with a pair of adjacent communicating bores, a pair ofoutlet ports in one bore, pressure and relief ports in the other bore,valve means reciprocable in each bore for effecting interconnection ofsaid ports in selected combinations thereof, each of said valve meansincluding oppositely disposed fluid pressure responsive heads ofdifferent area, a passage connecting opposite ends of said bores withsaid pressure port, a passage connecting one end of each bore with saidrelief port, normally closed pressure responsive valve means betweensaid pressure port and said second mentioned bore whereby to admitpressure fluid at pilot pressure to said first mentioned passage andpilot valve means operative to selectively control the flow of pressurefluid at pilot pressure to the opposite ends of said bores and to oneend of said bores.

10. A valve as in claim 9, and further including needle valve meansbetween said pilot valve means and said second mentioned valve means forregulating the rate of flow of pressure fluid at pilot pressure.

11. A hydraulic valve for directing the flow of pressure fluid includinga body formed with a pair of adjacent, communicating bores, one of saidbores having a pair of outlet ports, the other of said bores including apressure port and a relief port, reciprocable valve means in each borefor effecting interconnection of said ports in selected combinationsthereof, each valve means including oppositely disposed pressureresponsive heads of different area in cylinder portions at the oppositeends of the bore associated therewith, pressure responsive valve meansbetween said pressure port and the bore associated therewith, a passagein said body directly connecting said pressure port and the oppositeends 10 of said cylinder portions, said pressure responsive valve meansbeing normally closed to direct pressure fluid at pilot pressure to saidpassage and responsive to pressures greater than pilot pressure todirect pressure fluid to said bores. JOHN A. HERBST.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,550,467 Thoma Aug. 18, 1925 2,214,119 Brisbane Sept. 10,1940 2,215,115 Buffington Sept. 17, 1940 2,218,861 Stumpf Oct. 22, 19402,477,669 Stephens Aug. 2, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date515,617 Great Britain Dec. 11, 1939

